When did a size 12 become big?

I mean seriously, I have so many mixed feelings about the much talked about Dove ad campaign (that started a year ago, my how time flys) and it’s lofty goal of redefining beauty. It is just the marxist critic inside me that says this is not really what is going on.

Women’s enews agrees…

Harousseau said the intent of the “Campaign for Real Beauty,” launched globally in September 2004 after success in the European market, is to widen the stereotypical view of beauty, while advertising their firming lotion. The goal, while laudable, may also be shrewd. If more women feel beautiful, goes the underlying marketing premise, more will be inspired to take great care of themselves by buying beauty and hygiene products.

Also, the models are not really detracting from the millions of dollars that go to size 4 models, they actually only get paid a stipend, you know because they are real women.
On one level, it is totally cool to have billboards plastered with (albeit airbrushed and not bigger then size 12) *real* women. However, I think it is misleading to say that this is a)changing American’s ideas of beauty standards or b)that is in any way the intention of Dove, really.
The intention is to sell more product and capture as many women as we can into the capitalist fortress of the beauty/body image machine.
Don’t yah think?